Chasing Starlight
by Pastel Sky
Summary: For the first time in years, Natsu worries. /Natsu, Lucy – contains spoilers up to chapter 303./


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**Chasing Starlight_  
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_Fairy Tail __© Mashima Hiro  
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_Natsu x Lucy  
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When he heard that Arcadeus was planning something about celestial mages, he felt something boil in his gut. His muscles tensed as his heartbeat rate increased, pounding loudly in his ears. There was a sharp thought that prodded him to raise his guards; a tiny voice that echoed in the back of his mind: _Don't trust this guy. Don't listen._

_He's taking her._

Then Natsu felt his head _burn_, and he was on fire; standing before the knight with a threatening stance in a split second.

Something wasn't right, he thought, as he tried listening to their ideas. Yukino said that as celestial mages, she and Lucy could defeat both Zeref and Acnologia. Maybe they could save the world, then, but something about it didn't sit right with him; something that he couldn't quite pinpoint. Perhaps it was the fact that Zeref had, arguably, the greatest magic powers—which made him probably the most dangerous person on Earth, or perhaps it was only Natsu's instincts that made him believe the plan was ridiculously terrible.

(Or maybe it was just his personal feelings of not wanting anybody hurt, especially not his important friend.)

He was wary all the time as they trudged through the palace's grounds with Arcadeus and Yukino, carefully examining the situation, all the while keeping his eyes on Lucy to make sure nothing would put her in harm's way. Arcadeus told them that he was the one who tried to take her, and Natsu was ticked off—slightly, because he was mostly relieved that she was okay. He stayed close by her side so if evil guys popped out of nowhere, trying to take her or even put a scratch on her, he would burn them to tiny particles in no time.

But suddenly, the Imperial Army came and surrounded them with harsh gazes and tips of sharp blades. He felt his whole being tensed—he needed to _protect_. So he let out his fire, the sounds around him fading into flame crackles along with thundering heartbeats of rage. He'd heard the captain's warning, but it was too late.

It was too late.

_Natsu!_

Then everything was black_._

(—except for the remaining light of her picture in his mind, because she was all that he saw in complete darkness.)

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Natsu wakes to the tolling clock's bell.

He sat on the bed's edges, feeling his head thumping and his eyes weary. He doesn't really know how he had fallen asleep, doesn't know how he was _able_ to fall asleep, but he remembers the vague words that Gray said which struck him with feelings of complete helplessness:

_Death sentence. _

_We must win._

For the first time in years, Natsu worries.

For the first time in years, he isn't so sure if they will win the fight—and that is a problem, because Natsu never hesitates, never doubts, when it comes to winning a fight. He doesn't admit it, really, but a tiny, _tiny_ fraction of his hardened heart is _afraid_.

He is afraid that he will _lose her_.

However, there is one thing that he feels sure about, the one thing that he knows is _right_; that he will save her, no matter what happens, no matter what it takes. Hell, he would take down an entire army (or the whole world, even, if it's necessary) in order to take her back to Fairy Tail. Nothing would stand in his way of rescuing her—not Arcadeus, not the Imperial Army, not the Eclipse Plan.

So after being calmed down by Master Makarov and the others (whose attempts included tying him to a wooden pillar), since his head was too hot and he was being too reckless as he had wanted to go to her so _badly_ without any plan whatsoever, he sets out on a journey alongside Mirajane, Happy, Wendy, and Charle.

He doesn't care if he has to face thousands of nameless monsters or unfathomable magic powers. He would overcome them, he tells himself. He couldn't care less about anything else right now, because he needs to _see her_ and she is all that matters.

Natsu isn't so sure that they will win everything—because nothing is ever sure before you try, but as his feet run upon the grounds of Crocas towards the towering castle, he simply cannot think about the possibilities of his doubts.

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He is taking her back; that is all he knows.

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_Fin._

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**Author's Notes:**

Greetings! Thank you for stopping by. /bows.

This was just a simple drabble-ish story that I whipped up after reading the recent chapters. I couldn't help but think that Natsu's eagerness to save Lucy and his protectiveness over her was _really cute_. I'm looking forward to read the next chapters!

Thank you so much for reading! Your support and feelings towards this story are really, really appreciated. Any kind of feedback is welcomed. (:


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